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As predicted by Dr. James, “human” was a heavy word to dissect. There are so many layers, both in the word’s history and in current cultural context, that it was challenging to decide what to include on a mere one page analysis. What stuck out to me most is that human has two very strong distinctions: that human classifies an individual as either separate from other animals, or separate from divine beings. Furthermore, one of the synonyms in this context was imperfect or flawed. I think this fits in very well with the idea of being human in both the religious and non-religious sense. Naturally, because human beings are not God and therefore not perfect, we are flawed. Roxane Gay also points out the importance of being flawed because it makes us human and alive. I also found a relevant quote from Rebecca Solnit which said one way people are human is through their freedom, and the way they take that freedom to wander and travel where they might be led to go. This made me think of one of my favorite quotations by Saint Augustine which essentially says our hearts our restless until they rest in the Lord. Connecting these, I think it is in our human nature to wander, but that also may warrant that we are searching, or that we are propelled, toward something (whether we consciously realize it or not). That thing could very well be God, and perhaps the only way to fulfill our humanity is to be reconnected with the being who gave us our humanity in the first place.

I was considering this quote at mass earlier, it’s one of my favorite bible passages. The whole passage is called “The Woman Who Fears the Lord,” and you can read it in Proverbs 31:10-31 !

Chronic Procrastination

If Rankine were to shadow me for a day I think the main thing she would observe is my impressive ability to avoid my responsibilities. Starting in the morning: I wake up, not by an alarm clock but by my internal alarm at 6 a.m. I check my phone, notice that I have a few snapchats from my friend who lives in North Carolina, and then go back to bed. I can’t open them yet because then she’ll know that I’ve been on my phone without responding to her texts-- and so the procrastination begins. Minutes later she would see me nestle back into my blue and white nest of a comforter and sleep for two more hours (without actually falling back asleep at all).

She would see this kind of procrastination in virtually every aspect of my day and come to the same kind of conclusion that I have about myself-- I make it nearly possible for myself to succeed unless I push myself to the brink of disaster.

And I imagine it would be as frustrating for her to watch as it is for me to live out. She would write about the fluidity with which I would live my life if only I structured and organized my days better, but yet I actively live out patterns that I have found to just barely get me by in life.

However, I think Rankine would also notice that I genuinely live in the moment. For example, last night I made a spur-of-the-moment decision to ask a friend to get sushi. We went and ended up having an extremely enriching conversation about relationships and where we see each other in the future. So although Rankine would probably note some irresponsibility in the way that I live my life, I think it would also be clear that there is joy and beauty in allowing yourself to be care-free.

It's an unnecessary 'permission' word.

I “just” wanted to share this article with everyone, this is what I was talking about in class the other day. I also noticed that there was another article written in response to this one which is an interesting read as well, I believe there is a link in the text. Enjoy!

Roxane Gay called me (and Rachel Sawdy) cute!

I attended Roxane Gay’s speech last week at St. Thomas. I always enjoy going to readings because I think it sheds a new light on the passage. Gay’s writing is extremely lively and entertaining on the page; however, hearing her read it first-hand was an entirely different experience. It was very clear how much of herself she pours into her writing, as it seems like such a natural extension of her personality. When she started reading her essay about the UPS man I nearly didn’t realize that it was an essay and not just a very artfully articulated story.

Although I was looking forward to encountering such a prestigious and well-known author, I will admit that I was a little nervous. I have struggled with the idea of feminism because there are a lot of things about me that, I think, would go against typical feminist beliefs. For example, I would love to be a stay at home mom one day—I’m perfectly content with the notion of my husband being the breadwinner and me staying at home, being a homemaker and raising my kids. I am also very pro-life and feel very strongly against abortion being legal. I don’t like the idea that it seems like in today’s culture we are pushing for men and women to be so much the same because I think men and women are supposed to be different—equal in rights, but different and complimentary. I know Roxane Gay’s whole point is that it’s okay to be a “bad Feminist,” but I don’t really proclaim myself as a feminist at all, and I was worried that I would feel shame for that after listening to her speak. Thankfully, that was not the case.

The question and answer portion of Gay’s visit was really inspiring for me. I took the opportunity to ask her a question and inquired about one of her essays that we read for class, “Not Here to Make Friends.” I was intrigued by this essay because Gay works through the idea that our flaws are what make us human and our imperfections make us real. I agree with this, but struggled with the idea that we shouldn’t try to improve our flaws. So, I asked Gay to what degree we should embrace our flaws versus try and become a better version of ourselves. She responded, as eloquently as ever, that we should accept what we can about ourselves because we can be flawed and still be valuable. In turn, she also warned us not to let acceptance of our flaws allow us to be complacent. Although that was a really powerful sentiment for me, I think the moment when I most connected with her message is when she addressed how to have the conversation about feminism with people who aren’t feminists (i.e. me). She really emphasized how important it was not to shame people, because when you shame people they shut down. I think that’s what has happened to me when I have encountered “traditional” feminism. I feel ashamed and then turn away from the notion entirely; however, I can see now that it is okay to not agree with every degree of feminism because I think it means something a little different for everyone. Like Roxane Gay said, I would rather be bad feminist, than not a feminist at all.

The attached meme is what one friend sent back to me when I asked what he thought of the word feminism. I’m unfamiliar with whatever movie or show it came from, but I think the sentiment behind it brings up an interesting point that we have been discussing in class. Feminism: what does it actually mean?

When I asked a few of my friends what came to mind when they considered the word “feminism,” the majority of responses were negative. Some words that were associated were liberal, pushy and closed-minded. And, to be honest, these are some of the words that I have come to associate with feminism as well. This is conflicting for me because I know I have always had a little bit of a feminist in me; however, my experience with individuals who have completely dedicated themselves to the feminist movement has mainly been negative. I have been shamed for wanting to be a stay-at-home mom and criticized for holding pro-life beliefs. Something I have been considering, especially since hearing Roxane Gay speak on campus, is am I unable to consider myself a feminist if I don’t agree with what is typically associated with traditional feminism?

My friend who sent me the meme thinks similarly. He told me that, growing up with two sisters and a mother, he has always agreed with the general ideals behind feminism. He recognizes that without the original feminist movements these members of his family would not have many of the opportunities that they do today; however, like me, he may occasionally do or believe things that are not typically in agreeance with feminism. We discussed the idea that there is a minority of feminists, but a vocal minority, who care more about their rhetoric than actually having a positive, open discussion about what feminism is and why it’s important. And it’s perhaps these few who are giving the feminist movement a “bad name.”

I don’t think feminism is a bad thing, and at the root of the matter, I don’t think many of my friends do either; although, I do believe that the general experience that many of us have had with modern feminism has been aggressive and harmful to the core concept behind the feminist movement.

Set in the present day on a Colorado ranch, THE RANCH stars Ashton Kutcher as Colt, a failed semi-pro football player who returns home to run the family ranc...

The Ranch is a new Netflix original series about a misguided 34-year-old named Colt (Ashton Kutcher) who gives up his dream of being a professional football player and moves back home with his Dad and brother to help them work their family ranch. So far I have only seen the Pilot episode which just so happens to pass the Bechdel test. Although, I don’t think that going forward the series, as a whole, would pass the test.

In the first episode there are two females who are introduced by name: Maggie, Colts mother, and Heather, a girl that Colt almost hooks up with. These two characters never directly interact so therefore they do not have any conversations between the two of them about men. Although, the roles that these women play in the show do make a statement about gender roles as a whole. Maggie is depicted as a strong, confident working woman who owns the local bar. She is a diligent mother although she is separated from Colt’s father; however, we find out later that Maggie and Colt’s father still “hook up,” most often times after they've had a fight. Heather on the other hand, is depicted as a ditzy small town girl who fawns over Colt and is merely valued as a sexual object. She is supposed to make several more appearances in the series so it will be interesting to see if she stays in that role.

Aside from the explicit roles that these women play in this show, The Ranch is overtly male-dominated. It appears that the show will be mainly focused around father-son relationships and the struggles that arise from being a separated family. Although the first episode did pass the Bechdel test, I anticipate future episodes having conversations between female leads about the show’s heart-throb (Colt) to create an alternate source of drama other than family struggles.

"My boob is the size of her head." Check out more awesome BuzzFeedYellow videos! http://bit.ly/YTbuzzfeedyellow MUSIC California Soul, It’s The Summer, Lakes...

In honor of spring break I thought this would be a good video to share. Women are constantly subject to media telling us what our bodies should look like. Well, whether you’re the typical “Victoria’s Secret body type” or not, our bodies are something to be proud of, embrace them! Have a great break everyone.

Wikipedia Page: Roxane Gay

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roxane_Gay

I chose to add to author Roxane Gay’s existing Wikipedia page for this assignment. I first encountered her writing last year in my creative nonfiction class; I was impressed by her prose and the authority with which she commanded each of the topics that she wrote about. I would describe myself as a rather conservative individual, so reading some of her work force me to consider points of view that I don’t necessarily agree with. For example, I’ve always been uncomfortable with the idea of “white privilege.” I know that it exists, but in my experience it has always been used as a mechanism of condemnation. When I read the chapter on privilege in Bad Feminist, it allowed me to view the issue in a more personal and applicable light. Furthermore, I was impressed by the variety of topics that she covered in her book. I think it requires an incredibly skilled writer to write about controversial social issues with both authority and personality. As an aspiring writer, I look to essayists like Roxane Gay to develop my writing style; I think it’s inspiring that we have contemporary writers to look to for guidance aside from the traditional classic authors.

Roxane Gay’s page included sections on her career, reception, education and personal life. I created two additional sections: one on Bad Feminist and one on her current work. I thought it was important to add a section on Bad Feminist as it was the book that really launched her into the public sphere. It is currently being taught on various college campuses and her insights on feminism is shaping the discussion around the importance of equality. It is also important to point out her explicit view on feminism that was articulated in her interview with Time magazine: “In each of these essays, I’m very much trying to show how feminism influences my life for better or worse. It just shows what it’s like to move through the world as a woman. It’s not even about feminism per se, it’s about humanity and empathy.” I also thought it was important to discuss her current work as she is a progressive, positive voice for people from many different walk of life. For example, her new book Hunger will address those who struggle with body image, and her strong social media presence gives her followers a strong leader to look to for inspiration. I look forward to seeing her speak when she visits St. Thomas in the coming weeks.

Crowning Mary

p. 18, 19

“Framed inside is an image of the Holy Virgin Mary robed in blue with white drape or white robe with a blue drape over her head, her eyes towards Heaven, two hands to Heaven, shrouded in clouds, the invisible feet... The chosen ones to crown Mary the Immaculate conception enter in the center. The white uniforms. The ribbon of satin, today, blue draped across from the right shoulder down to the left side of the waist, Banner, Of blue and white satin. The image of Mary seated.”

During grades K-8 I attended St. Patrick Catholic school. We went to mass every first Friday of the month, and on one very special first Friday every May we celebrated “May Crowning,” a veneration of the virgin Mary and a tribute to her virtue. For eight years I would watch the eighth grade girls proceed down the aisle of the church clad in beautiful dresses and I yearned for the day that I would be one of them. When that day finally came it was not so pleasant as I thought it would be. The amount of rules and regulations that we had to follow for our dresses were enough to make any girl and their mother go mad. I remember being infuriated that the boys in our class didn’t have to undergo such a relentless inspection process. The purpose was to be modest like Mary, a symbol of virtue and goodness. So would that mean that someone who wasn’t quite as modest wasn’t also quite as good? This reading made me think about the importance that some cultures place on modesty and virtue, which is clear in a religious context such as the one above. I also considered this during a later passage: p. 29 “Acting on the Japanese love of order and of defined rank, exact titles of honor were provided for the wives of the officials. These were divided into nine grades..” Two of these included “Chaste Dame,” and “Worthy Dame.” I pose this question: do you think we still live in a society where chastity is equivalent to worthiness, and if so, does that hold the same for men?

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“One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn't pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself.”

#lucille ball

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